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As COP26 in Glasgow winds down with plenty of talk but little action on the climate crisis taken so far, we're excited to release a video version of our latest single "Nature Will Have Her Way". Please take a moment to enjoy the music and humor, but do take heed...

In 1605 in London Captain Tobias Hume (1579 - 1645) published "The First Part of Ayres, French, Pollish and others" for solo viol (lyra or viola da gamba), for viol and voice, plus an amusing and infamous piece for 2 to play on 1 viol. A self-described Gentleman, he may have been Scottish, was either a Captain or a Colonel and defender of the superiority of the viol as an accompanying instrument compared to the lute. Written in tablature, the collection includes some of his best-know pieces, including here, "Touch Me Lightly". - Penny

Live (with looping) in our project studio, July 2021. Instrumental version of Neil Sedaka's "Laughter In The Rain".

"Loves farewell" from Tobias Hume’s "The First Part of Ayres, French, Pollish and Others" for the Leero Viole alone (published in London, 1605) includes many numerous pieces for solo lyra viol such as "Tinckeldum Twinckeldum", "Tickell, Tickell", and "My MIstress hath a pritty thing" as well as tunes indicative of his other career as a mercenary soldier. Here I offer "Loves farewell" which I have chosen to play in a more lyrical and contemplative fashion, perhaps in keeping with Captain Hume’s unusually eccentric personality. - Penny Hanna

Slim wrote this harmonica instrumental on the occasion of the completion of his 64th trip around the sun. This is a new version of this tune that was originally posted on New Year's Day 2019.

Sometimes words simply don't cut it, and that's when instrumental music comes to the rescue. Here's a new instrumental ballad played on the harmonica...

Here's a video cut from Penny's recent solo viola da gamba session in our project studio. This one is the opening Adagio from Carl Friedrich Abel's G Major Sonata.

Carl Friedrich Abel (1723-1787): The most famous gambist in Europe, he studied with his father and J.S. Bach in Leipzig. A composer of symphonies, a co-founder of the Bach-Abel concerts in London, England's first subscription concerts, and a noted improvisatory genius and lover of drink. Painted by Gainsborough with his viola da gamba, dog, and music pen in hand in 1777, he died less than a month after his last performance in London.

Carl Friedrich Abel’s Sonata in G was most likely composed for his student Elizabeth Herbert, Countess of Pembroke (1737-1831). This 2nd movement continues in the gallant style of the day:

Here are the 3rd and 4th movements:

Penny on viola da gamba, playing "My Mistress hath a pritty [sic] thing" by musician, composer, soldier, raconteur and self-proclaimed gentleman Tobias Hume published in "The First Part of Ayres for the Viole De Gambo alone" 1605, London.

The scene is the legendary Split Rail club in Austin TX, circa 1975. The pictured band is The Reynolds Sisters and the New Oso Band. The song is "The Photograph", written by Slim Heilpern for his amazing and wonderful wife Penny, seen here at center stage.

The recording:

Penny Hanna: Fender Jazz Bass guitar
Slim Heilpern: Vocal, Godin nylon guitar, Standel (Koontz) archtop guitar, Fender Stratocaster guitar, Fessenden pedal steel guitar, Hohner CX12 chromatic harmonica, percussion programming, audio production.

Pictured (l - r): Maggie Reynolds, Carl Creeger, Penny Hanna, Slim Heilpern, Billy "Shorty" Marshal

This is an excerpt from Penny Hanna's solo viola da gamba concert recorded live on April 20, 2017 at the Santa Cruz Public Library's "Munching with Mozart & Friends" series.

The following videos were taken from the West Coast Jazz Harmonica Summit 2009 DVD, produced by Slim and featuring seven other jazz harmonica players (in addition to Slim). Full details, including where to purchase the DVD, are here: jazzharmonicasummit.com.